I love how most of the bystanders just totally ignore him altogether. So Toronto.

Actually, they don't ignore him; their reaction is more subtle and even more unmistakably Torontonian: wariness, yes, but once they figure out what's going on, you see it shift to a combination of deference to somebody who's doing something that seems important (be cool! Don't mess up his dance!), and an understated gratitude for doing something (anything!) interesting in the first place.

Watch the moment in the subway dance where he takes a young man's hat off his head, does a dance with it, then hands it back to the guy as if to thank him - and the guy's expression basically says, "cheers, and thank you."

In Toronto, you apologize if someone steps on your toe, and if a man does a dance with your hat, you say thanks. Is this the way it works in New York? (In Toronto, that's always the next question.)posted by bicyclefish at 12:42 AM on March 11, 2011 [18 favorites]

I enjoyed this, thanks. Good morning from Germany.posted by _Lasar at 1:01 AM on March 11, 2011

Apparently Phil went to the Ellen DeGeneres School of Dance.posted by fuse theorem at 2:51 AM on March 11, 2011

This is awesome.

But I disagree about the reaction of the bystanders - as good Torontonians, they are deeply disturbed by this public display that cannot easily be politely ignored (esp on the subway car). It's so alien, this drawing attention to oneself, that they don't know what to do.posted by jb at 5:03 AM on March 11, 2011

No Public Displays of Emotions, please....we're Torontonians.

Actually these video are IMO what makes Toronto great. You can do anything you want as long as you're not slowing me down on my way to work. The people on the subway platform are all "hey, that's cute...gotta go." That attitude has its drawbacks, but it works.

I love this. So joyful. Phil's my new internet crush.posted by dog food sugar at 6:34 AM on March 11, 2011

I'm from Toronto and the bystander's reactions are exactly how I react when I come across stuff like this (admittedly it is usually teenagers, not adults); just step back and let them do their thing. How are we supposed to react?posted by saucysault at 7:04 AM on March 11, 2011

The bystanders are reacting the same way everybody in the fucking world would react. Jesus, Toronto, get over yourself. I mean, this is great, and I love Toronto and spent my first three years as a Canadian immigrant there, but get the hell over yourself.posted by ethnomethodologist at 7:23 AM on March 11, 2011 [1 favorite]

I couldn't watch it long enough to see if security roughed him up.posted by juiceCake at 8:12 AM on March 11, 2011

Getting told to get the hell over yourself by a digruntled Calgarian: Another local rite.posted by bicyclefish at 8:15 AM on March 11, 2011 [6 favorites]

get the hell over yourself

Wise men follow their own counsel...

And how does a city get over itself?posted by juiceCake at 9:45 AM on March 11, 2011

I may not have fully appreciated the one where he dances on the subway, because about halfway through I had a mini panic attack on his behalf: "Hey, he's getting off the train, but wait, he left his jacket on that lady's lap, oh, I'm sure he'll pick up in a sec, oh, no, wait, he's dancing further down the station, hang on, the train is leaving and OH MY GOODNESS DUDE YOUR JACKET IS LEAVING WITHOUT YOU! What will he do? Will he get it back? WHAT ABOUT THE JACKET?"

I've told myself that he had a plant on the train to collect his jacket after he got off, or the camera person got it somehow. Because I can't stop worrying about that jacket.posted by paisley sheep at 1:06 PM on March 11, 2011 [3 favorites]

I told myself he was being followed by a retinue of handlers who were toting equipment, picking up discarded items, and apologizing profusely to everyone he bumped.posted by bicyclefish at 1:09 PM on March 11, 2011

The bystanders are reacting the same way everybody in the fucking world would react.
--ethnomethodologist

I used to travel a lot and either the world has changed or this statement is incorrect. I ran into a lot more people who are like you.posted by eye of newt at 9:29 PM on March 11, 2011

Saw identical to this here on the blue, but done in Hamilton which is 60 km away:

Tags

Share

About MetaFilter

MetaFilter is a weblog that anyone can contribute a link or a comment to. A typical weblog is one person posting their thoughts on the unique things they find on the web. This website exists to break down the barriers between people, to extend a weblog beyond just one person, and to foster discussion among its members.